Aircraft

ABSTRACT

An aircraft includes a fuselage having a front, a center, and a rear section. A first mounting member is coupled to the front section. A second mounting member is coupled to the rear section. A first and a second wing are coupled to the center section. A plurality of power generator systems are included and coupled to the first or second mounting member. Each power generator system includes a power source, a first and a second propeller. The power source is configured to drive the first and second propeller. The first and second propeller have an axis of rotation, and are pivotable between a first and a second position. An amphibious landing gear system is coupled to an underside of the fuselage and has a flap and a bladder. The bladder is located under the flap, configured to inflate and deflate, and sized to provide buoyancy for the aircraft.

BACKGROUND

A vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft can hover, take-off, andland vertically. This includes a variety of types of aircraft includingfixed wing aircraft, helicopters, tiltrotors and other aircraft withpowered rotors. It is known in the art that these types of aircraftseach have limitations. For example, the fixed wing aircraft trades theadvantage of lift from the fixed wings for added weight. The traditionalhelicopter relies on the single, large propeller mounted on the top ofthe aircraft which lacks the benefit of lift from fixed wings. Thetiltrotor typically has one or more powered rotors mounted at the endsof fixed wings and if one of the powered rotors malfunctions, thetiltrotor may crash because of the imbalance of the power from the fixedwings.

SUMMARY

An aircraft is disclosed and includes a fuselage having a front section,a center section, and a rear section. A first mounting member is coupledto the front section of the fuselage and extends outwardly from oppositesides of the front section of the fuselage. A second mounting member iscoupled to the rear section of the fuselage and extends outwardly fromopposite sides of the rear section of the fuselage. A first wing isopposite a second wing, and the first and second wings are coupled tothe center section of the fuselage. The first and second wings extendoutwardly from opposite sides of the center section of the fuselage. Aplurality of power generator systems are included and each powergenerator system is coupled to the first mounting member or the secondmounting member. Each power generator system includes a power source, afirst propeller and a second propeller. The power source is configuredto drive the first propeller and the second propeller. The firstpropeller and the second propeller have an axis of rotation, and arepivotable between a first position and a second position. The secondposition is perpendicular to the first position. A shroud has a shroudfirst end opposite a shroud second end, and encloses the power generatorsystem. An amphibious landing gear system is coupled to an underside ofthe fuselage and has an aerodynamically-shaped flap and a bladder. Thebladder is located under the flap, configured to inflate and deflate,and sized to provide buoyancy for the aircraft when inflated.

An aircraft is disclosed and includes a plurality of power generatorsystems. Each power generator system is coupled to the aircraft, andincludes a power source, and a gearbox coupled to the power source. Afirst shaft is opposite a second shaft, and the first shaft and thesecond shaft extend outwardly from opposite sides of the gearbox. Thefirst shaft is longitudinally spaced apart from the second shaft, andthe first shaft is not in contact with the second shaft. A firstpropeller is coupled to the first shaft, and the first shaft isconfigured to transfer torque and rotation from the power source to thefirst propeller in a first direction. A second propeller is coupled tothe second shaft, and the second shaft is configured to transfer torqueand rotation from the power source to the second propeller in a seconddirection. The first direction and the second direction are differentfrom one another. The first propeller and the second propeller have anaxis of rotation, and are pivotable between a first position and asecond position. The first position has the axis of rotationapproximately horizontal and the second position having the axis ofrotation approximately vertical. An amphibious landing gear system iscoupled to an underside of the fuselage and has anaerodynamically-shaped flap and a bladder. The bladder is located underthe flap, configured to inflate and deflate, and sized to providebuoyancy for the aircraft when inflated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aircraft, in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 2A is a side view of an aircraft, in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 2B is a front view of an aircraft, in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 2C is a top view of an aircraft, in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 2D is a bottom view of an aircraft, in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the fuselage of the aircraft, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3B is a close-up view of a front section of the fuselage shown inFIG. 3A, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3C is a perspective view of the aircraft with a portion of thefuselage cover removed, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a portion of the first wing, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 4B is a cutaway view of a portion of the first wing, in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the power generator system, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 5B is a top view of the power generator system, in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 5C is a front view of the power generator system, in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the shroud of the power generatorsystem, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6B is a front view of the shroud of the power generator system, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6C is a side view of the shroud of the power generator system, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6D is a perspective view of the shroud of the power generatorsystem, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the power generator system, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7B is a side view of the power generator system, in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 7C is a top view of the power generator system, in accordance withsome embodiments.

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a T-design power generator system withrudders, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 8B is a side view of a T-design power generator system withrudders, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 8C is a perspective view of a direct drive design power generatorsystem with rudders, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 8D is a side view of a direct drive design power generator systemwith rudders, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a turbine engine system, in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a schematic of a combination of power sources for theaircraft, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 11A and 11B are perspective views of the aircraft, in accordancewith some embodiments.

FIG. 12A is a perspective view of an amphibious landing gear system, inaccordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 12B is a side view of an amphibious landing gear system duringflight, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 12C is a side view of an amphibious landing gear system duringlanding, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 13A is a table of a sample calculation for wing area of theaircraft, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 13B is a table of a sample calculation for the lift of theaircraft, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 13C is a table of sample calculations for the configuration of theaircraft, in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an extended aircraft, in accordancewith some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The aircraft is configured for vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) onland or water. The design includes fixed wings, a plurality of powergenerator sources and an amphibious landing gear system. The fixed wingsand fuselage use a frame structure of lightweight materials that are lowin RADAR detectability which contribute to a stealth nature of theaircraft. The fixed wings provide lift for the aircraft. The framestructure allows for easy expandability such as by adding a section tothe fuselage thus increasing the overall length of the aircraft. Theadded section of fuselage may be useful for additional payload for cargoor weapons.

The power generator sources are located close to the fuselage of theaircraft as opposed to the ends of the fixed wings. In this way, theweight is distributed at the center of the aircraft enabling theaircraft to be stable and steady during operation such as duringtake-off, in flight and landing on land or water. The plurality of powergenerator systems provide redundancy in case of one power generatorsystem malfunction or failure while producing the thrust for verticaltake-off and landing. Each power generator system is independent fromone another and additional power generator systems can be easilyintegrated for more power and thrust, enabling flexible scalableexpansion and a safety feature.

Each power generator system includes counterrotating propellers suchthat a first propeller and a second propeller are pivotable between afirst position and a second position, and the second position isperpendicular to the first position. For example, the first position maybe a 0° horizontal position and the second position may be a 90°vertical position. This enables a high amount of maneuverability of theaircraft in roll, yoke and yaw directions while enabling verticaltake-off and landing. Each power generator system includes a shroudwhich reduces noise, directs airflow thus increasing thrust, andprohibits a RADAR signal from being reflected to the source emitter.

The amphibious landing gear system allows the aircraft to land on thewater, stay afloat on the water, then perform a vertical take-off fromthe water. The amphibious landing gear system includes a flap whichassists the lifting force during take-off and has an aerodynamic profilefor in-flight benefits.

The features of the aircraft include the capability of vertical take-offand landing on land or water, a large payload capacity, redundancy ofthe power generation systems, and the ease of expandability of thefuselage and power generator systems. These features allow the aircraftto be ideal for use in many sectors such as military operations, rescuemissions and firefighter missions.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an aircraft, in accordance with someembodiments. The aircraft 10 includes a fuselage 12, first wing 14,second wing 16, first mounting member 18, second mounting member 20,plurality of power generator systems 22, amphibious landing gear system24, parachute system 25 (also see FIG. 2A), plurality of wing braces 26,rear rudder 28, and cockpit 30. In accordance with some embodiments,FIG. 2A is a side view of an aircraft, FIG. 2B is a front view of anaircraft, FIG. 2C is a top view of an aircraft, and FIG. 2D is a bottomview of an aircraft. In an example embodiment, the aircraft 10 may havea wingspan of 65 feet, an overall length of 57 feet, and a height of 15feet.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the fuselage 12 of the aircraft 10, inaccordance with some embodiments, and FIG. 3B is a close-up view of afront section of the fuselage 12 shown in FIG. 3A, in accordance withsome embodiments. The fuselage 12 has a front section 32, a centersection 34, and a rear section 36, and is comprised of a frame structureof a plurality of structural elements forming a hexagonally-shapedcross-section, and a material covering the frame structure. For example,the frame structure includes a plurality of structural elementsconnected together such as a plurality of fuselage segments 38 coupledto a plurality of fuselage rods 40 thus forming a hexagonally-shapedcross-section for the fuselage 12. For example, the plurality offuselage segments 38 form the cross-sectional shape, and the pluralityof fuselage rods 40 connect the plurality of fuselage segments 38 andrun longitudinally along the length of the fuselage 12. Other shapes forthe cross-section for the fuselage 12 may be used such as a rhombus,oval, square, rectangular or the like. The plurality of fuselagesegments 38 and the plurality of fuselage rods 40 may be comprised of ametal such as aluminum, carbon-fiber, or steel, or a composite materialor combination thereof. In some embodiments, the plurality of fuselagesegments 38 may be comprised of aluminum and the plurality of fuselagerods 40 may be comprised of carbon-fiber.

A fuselage cover 42, such as a neoprene skin or a lightweight polymermaterial, completely covers the frame structure. The combination of theplurality of fuselage segments 38 and the plurality of fuselage rods 40enable the structure of the aircraft 10 to be strong and lightweight.The construction is a modular approach and allows for a flexiblearrangement, ease of assembly and repair, and expandability such as byadding another section to the fuselage 12 (see FIG. 14) to increase theoverall length of the aircraft for additional payload capacity. Thefuselage cover 42 can be designed to provide a lightweight, flexible,ozone proof, waterproof and heat insulation material for protection ofthe fuselage 12. An access panel 44 located on the bottom side of thefuselage 12 provides access to the interior of the fuselage for cargo orweapons.

FIG. 3C is a perspective view of the aircraft 10 with a portion of thefuselage cover 42 removed, in accordance with some embodiments. In someembodiments, the aircraft 10 may be used for a commercial application totransport passengers or cargo. For example, a plurality of seats 46 maybe located inside of the fuselage 12 such as between the first mountingmember 18 and the second mounting member 20.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2B-2D, a first wing 14 is opposite a secondwing 16. The first wing 14 and the second wing 16 are coupled to thecenter section 34 of the fuselage 12. The first wing 14 and the secondwing 16 extend outwardly from opposite sides of the center section 34 ofthe fuselage 12. In some embodiments, the wingspan may be 60-70 feetsuch as 65 feet and the width (e.g., from the front to the backdirection of the aircraft 10) of the first wing 14 and the second wing16 may be 9 feet. A plurality of wing braces 26 couple the first wing 14and the second wing 16 to the fuselage 12 for added rigidity and supportof the first wing 14 and the second wing 16.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a portion of the first wing 14, inaccordance with some embodiments, and FIG. 4B is a cutaway view of aportion of the first wing 14, in accordance with some embodiments.Similar to the fuselage design, the first wing 14 and the second wing 16are comprised of a frame structure which includes a plurality ofstructural segments, such as a plurality of wing segments 48 and aplurality of wing rods 50 connected together. The plurality of wingsegments 48 form the cross-sectional shape, and the plurality of wingrods 50 connect the plurality of wing segments 48 along the length ofthe wing. The plurality of wing segments 48 and the plurality of wingrods 50 may be comprised of a metal such as aluminum, carbon-fiber, orsteel, or a composite material or combination thereof. Additionally,there are a plurality of pivotable wing extensions 52 positioned acrossthe rear of the first wing 14 and the second wing 16 which may bepivoted about an axis A so that the angle of the plurality of pivotablewing extensions 52 along the wings can adjust the lifting force, or theCoefficient of Lift (C_(L)). For example, the wing extensions 52 can bedesigned to adjust the C_(L) between 1.45 and 2.60. The cross-sectionalshape of the first wing 14 and the second wing 16 may be an aerodynamicshape such as an airfoil. A wing cover 54, which may be similar to orthe same as the fuselage cover 42, covers the frame structure of thefirst wing 14 and the second wing 16.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3C, the cockpit 30 is coupled to the frontsection 32 of the fuselage 12. In some embodiments, the aircraft 10 maybe manned and in other embodiments the aircraft 10 may be unmanned. Anose 55 is coupled to the cockpit 30 and a tail 56 is coupled to therear section 36 of the fuselage 12. The tail 56 has a rear rudder 28 toenable stability during flight. The aircraft 10 may include antennas andcommunication to broadband satellite communications. Passive RADARsensors may be coupled to various components of the aircraft 10 such asthe cockpit 30, the first wing 14, the second wing 16, and the fuselage12 to detect adversary active RADAR signals from various directions.

Referring to FIG. 1, a first mounting member 18 is coupled to the frontsection 32 of the fuselage 12 and extends outwardly from opposite sidesof the front section 32 of the fuselage 12. A second mounting member 20is coupled to the rear section 36 of the fuselage 12 and extendsoutwardly from opposite sides of the rear section 36 of the fuselage 12.The first mounting member 18 and the second mounting member 20 arecoupled to the fuselage 12 near a top portion of the fuselage 12. Thefirst mounting member 18 and the second mounting member 20 each includea mounting rod 140, brackets 142 and straps 144. The mounting rod 140 ispositioned perpendicular to the length of the fuselage 12, and thebrackets 142, such as two brackets 142, are coupled to the top surfaceof the fuselage 12 to secure the mounting rod 140. Each strap 144 iscoupled to the mounting rod 140 and a power generator system 22 of theplurality of power generator systems 22. The first mounting member 18and the second mounting member 20 secures the plurality of powergenerator systems 22 in position.

The aircraft includes a plurality of power generator systems 22. Eachpower generator system 22 is coupled to the first mounting member 18 orthe second mounting member 20. For example, there may be two powergenerator systems 22 coupled to the first mounting member 18 and locatedon a first side of the fuselage 12, and two power generator systems 22coupled to the first mounting member 18 and located on a second side ofthe fuselage 12. The first side of the of the fuselage 12 may belaterally opposite the second side of the fuselage 12. Likewise, theremay be two power generator systems 22 coupled to the second mountingmember 20 and located on the first side of the fuselage 12, and twopower generator systems 22 coupled to the second mounting member 20 andlocated on the second side of the fuselage 12. The power generatorsystems 22 are located near the fuselage 12 as opposed to near the endof the first wing 14 or second wing 16 as in conventional aircraft. Forexample, the gap between the closest power generator system 22 and thefuselage 12 may be 5-20 inches or in some embodiments, 10 inches.Positioning the power generator systems 22 closer to the center ofgravity as opposed to at the end of the wings, and having a symmetricalconfiguration of the power generator systems 22 between the first sideof the fuselage 12 and the second side of the fuselage 12, providesbetter stability in the maneuverability of the aircraft 10 duringtake-off, in-flight and landing.

The total amount of power generator systems 22 may be eight. In otherembodiments, there may be any number of power generator system 22mounted on first side of the fuselage 12 or the second side of thefuselage 12. For example, there may be 2-10 power generator systems 22mounted to the first mounting member 18, with an equal number on eachside of the fuselage 12, and 2-8 power generator systems 22 mounted tothe second mounting member 20, with an equal number on each side of thefuselage 12, for a total of 4-20 power generator systems 22. In otherembodiments, there may be more or less power generator systems 22mounted to the first mounting member 18 than the second mounting member20.

In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 5A is a perspective view ofthe power generator system 22, FIG. 5B is a top view of the powergenerator system 22, and FIG. 5C is a front view of the power generatorsystem 22. Each power generator system 22 includes a power source 58, afirst propeller 60, a second propeller 62 and a shroud 64 (see FIGS.6A-6D). The power source 58 is configured to drive the first propeller60 and the second propeller 62. The first propeller 60 and the secondpropeller 62 have an axis of rotation B so that the first propeller 60and the second propeller 62 rotate about axis B. The first propeller 60and the second propeller 62 are comprised of a plurality of blades. Insome embodiments, the number of blades of the first propeller 60 is thesame as or greater than the number of blades of the second propeller 62.In some embodiments, a diameter of the second propeller 62 is less thana diameter of the first propeller 60. For example, the diameter of thefirst propeller 60 may be 70-80 inches and the diameter of the secondpropeller 62 may be 50-78 inches. The diameter of the second propellerbeing less than the diameter of the first propeller 60 may reduce thetip speed or the loading of the blades which decreases the noise.

Each power generator system 22 includes a gearbox 66 coupled to thepower source 58. The gearbox 66 may be a counterrotating gearbox 66with, in some embodiments, a T-style design, meaning the outputshafts—the first shaft 68 and the second shaft 70—are on the same axisas one another while the input shaft is coupled to the power source 58at 90° to both output shafts. In other embodiments, the counterrotatinggearbox 66 may be a direct drive design meaning the output shafts andthe input shaft are on the same axis, and the power source 58 isdirectly coupled to one of the output shafts thereby driving one of thepropellers. By using counterrotating propellers, the torque of the firstpropeller 60 effectively cancels out the torque of the second propeller62. This increases the speed of airflow accelerated by the propellers,thus increasing the efficiency at relatively high travelling speeds ofthe aircraft. Counterrotating propellers increase the thrust thusimproving the payload capacity and are 6-16% more efficient thanconventional propeller designs. In conventional propeller designs, thepropeller can only be operated effectively at low Mach speeds andincreasing the RPMs above a certain point causes the airflow rearward ofthe propeller to compress but not accelerate. In counterrotatingpropeller designs, the second propeller 62 rotates inside the airflowgenerated by the first propeller 60 thus generating increased airflowwithout the compression.

A first shaft 68 is opposite a second shaft 70, and the first propeller60 is opposite the second propeller 62. The first shaft 68 and the firstpropeller 60 extend outwardly from a first side 72 of the gearbox 66 andthe second shaft 70 and the second propeller 62 extend outwardly from asecond side 74 of the gearbox 66 opposite the first side 72 of thegearbox 66. The first shaft 68 is longitudinally spaced apart from thesecond shaft 70, so that there is a gap G between the first shaft 68 andsecond shaft 70. In other words, the first shaft 68 is not in contactwith the second shaft 70. In some embodiments such as the T-style designand as shown in FIGS. 5A-5C, the power source 58 is on a third side 76of the gearbox 66. The third side 76 of the gearbox 66 is parallel tothe axis of rotation B of the first propeller 60 and the secondpropeller 62, and the axis of rotation C of the shaft of the powersource 58 is perpendicular to the axis of rotation B of the firstpropeller 60 and the second propeller 62. Hence, the axis of rotation Cof the shaft of the power source 58 is 90° to the first shaft 68 and 90°to the second shaft 70.

The first propeller 60 is coupled to the first shaft 68, and the firstshaft 68 is configured to transfer torque and rotation from the powersource 58 to the first propeller 60 in a first direction such as aclockwise direction. The second propeller 62 is coupled to the secondshaft 70, and the second shaft 70 is configured to transfer torque androtation from the power source 58 to the second propeller 62 in a seconddirection such as counterclockwise. The first direction and the seconddirection are different from one another.

In some embodiments, the gearbox 66 includes a bevel gear 80 attached tothe third side 76 of the gearbox 66 and coupled to the power source 58.A first idler gear 82 on the first side 72 of the gearbox 66 engageswith the bevel gear 80 and the first shaft 68 to enable rotation of thefirst propeller 60 in the first direction. A second idler gear 84 on thesecond side 74 of the gearbox 66 is spaced apart from the first idlergear 82, and engages with the bevel gear 80 and the second shaft 70 toenable rotation of the second propeller 62 in the second direction.

In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 6A is a perspective view ofthe shroud 64 of the power generator system 22, FIG. 6B is a front viewof the shroud 64 of the power generator system 22, and FIG. 6C is a sideview of the shroud 64 of the power generator system 22. The shroud 64has a shroud first end 88 opposite a shroud second end 90, and covers orencloses the power generator system 22. The shroud 64 reduces noise fromthe power generator system 22, protects people, animals or objects fromthe rotating propellers, prohibits a RADAR signal from being reflectedto the source emitter, and increases thrust of the aircraft deflectingor guiding airflow to improve the aerodynamic effect. FIG. 6C depictsarrows indicating the direction of airflow. The cross-section of theshroud 64 may be circular, oval, hexagonal, or the like. FIG. 6D is aperspective view of the shroud 64 of the power generator system 22, inaccordance with some embodiments. In this example, the cross-section ofthe shroud 64 is hexagonal. For example, the shroud 64 is sized to coverthe first propeller 60 and the second propeller 62. The distance betweenthe first propeller 60 and the second propeller 62 may be 60-80 inches.A longer distance between the first propeller 60 and the secondpropeller 62 increases the efficiency of the counterrotating powersource design. The length of the shroud 64 may be 110-120 inches. Adiameter of the shroud first end 88 is sized to be slightly larger thanthe diameter of the first propeller 60. In some embodiments, thediameter of the shroud first end 88 is 65-85 inches. The length of theshroud may then taper to a diameter of the shroud second end 90. Thediameter of the shroud second end 90 may be 25-45 inches.

In other embodiments, the counterrotating gearbox 66 may be a directdrive design. In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 7A is aperspective view of the power generator system 22, FIG. 7B is a sideview of the power generator system 22, and FIG. 7C is a top view of thepower generator system 22. The power source 58 is positioned between thefirst side 72 of the gearbox 66 and the first shaft 68, and on the sameaxis of rotation as the first propeller 60 and the second propeller 62.The gearbox 66 includes the bevel gear 80 attached to the third side 76of the gearbox 66. The first idler gear 82 on the first side 72 of thegearbox 66 engages with the bevel gear 80 and the power source 58. Thepower source 58 engages with the first shaft 68 to enable rotation ofthe first propeller 60 in the first direction such as in a clockwisedirection. The second idler gear 84 on the second side 74 of the gearbox66 is spaced apart from the first idler gear 82, and engages with thebevel gear 80 and the second shaft 70 to enable rotation of the secondpropeller 62 in the second direction such as counterclockwise.

In accordance with some embodiments, FIG. 8A is a perspective view of aT-design power generator system 22 with rudders, FIG. 8B is a side viewof a T-design power generator system 22 with rudders, FIG. 8C is aperspective view of a direct drive design power generator system 22 withrudders, and FIG. 8D is a side view of a direct drive design powergenerator system 22 with rudders. A first rudder 92 is positionedbetween the first propeller 60 and the second propeller 62, and iscoupled to the first shaft 68. A second rudder 94 is positioned betweenthe second propeller 62 and the shroud second end 90, and is coupled tothe second shaft 70. The first rudder 92 and the second rudder 94 havethe same axis of rotation as the first propeller 60 and the secondpropeller 62. The first shaft 68 is configured to transfer torque androtation from the power source 58 to the first rudder 92 in a firstdirection such as a clockwise direction, and the second rudder 94 isconfigured to transfer torque and rotation from the power source 58 tothe second rudder 94 in a second direction such as counterclockwise. Thefirst direction and the second direction are different from one another.The position of the first rudder 92 and the second rudder 94 such asbehind the first propeller 60 and the second propeller 62 respectively,forces or guides the airflow in the direction of the thrust such asalong the axis of rotation thus increasing the thrust. The first rudder92 and the second rudder 94 also reinforce the structure of the powergenerator system 22 in the shroud 64. The power generator system 22design with the rudders may also be used in other applications such in aboat or ship power generator system.

Each power generator system 22 includes at least one power source 58.The power source 58 may be any type of engine or motor such as a gasengine, diesel engine, battery-powered engine, axial flux motor 96 (seeFIG. 10), turbine engine system 98 or combination thereof. A turbineengine system is disclosed in Jeng, U.S. patent application Ser. No.17/067,143, entitled “Turbine Engine System” filed on Oct. 9, 2020,which is owned by the assignee of the present application and is herebyincorporated by reference. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a turbineengine system 98, in accordance with some embodiments. In someembodiments, the power source 58 is the turbine engine system 98 coupledto the gearbox 66 and enclosed by the shroud 64. In some embodiments,the power source 58 is a combination of a first axial flux motor 96, asecond axial flux motor 96 and the turbine engine system 98.

FIG. 10 is a schematic of a combination of power sources for theaircraft 10, in accordance with some embodiments. For example, the firstaxial flux motor 96 a is coupled to the gearbox 66 and located withinthe shroud 64. A plurality of wires 102 connect the first axial fluxmotor 96 a to the second axial flux motor 96 b and the turbine enginesystem 98, which are located inside of the fuselage 12 near the firstmounting member 18 and/or the second mounting member 20. The secondaxial flux motor 96 b and the turbine engine system 98 generate anelectrical signal (e.g., 720V DC/200 KW) and various components such asinsulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) 104, DC-AC inverters 106 andAC-DC rectifiers 108 may be used to modify the electrical signal betweenthe turbine engine system 98 and axial flux motors 96 a and 96 b. Fueltanks located inside the fuselage 12 may store fuel for the power source58.

Each power generator system 22 is controlled independently from oneanother. For each power generator system 22, the first propeller 60 andthe second propeller 62 are pivotable between a first position and asecond position, and the second position is perpendicular to the firstposition. For example, the first position may have a first position axisof rotation approximately horizontal, and the second position may have asecond position axis of rotation approximately vertical. In this way,the first position may be a 0° horizontal position and the secondposition may be a 90° vertical position. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2A-2D,the first propeller 60 and the second propeller 62 are illustrated in afirst position such as 0° horizontal position. FIGS. 11A and 11B areperspective views of the aircraft, in accordance with some embodiments.FIG. 11A shows the aircraft 10 with the first propeller 60 and thesecond propeller 62 of each power generator system 22 in the secondposition where the second position is perpendicular to the firstposition such as at 90°. This configuration may be used during avertical take-off or landing. FIG. 11B shows the aircraft 10 ascendingwith the first propeller 60 and the second propeller 62 of each powergenerator system 22 in another position, such as the first propeller 60and the second propeller 62 of each power generator system 22 at anglebetween the first position and the second position such as at 40-50° or45°. This adjustability in orientation of the power generator systems 22enables a high amount of maneuverability of the aircraft in roll, yokeand yaw directions while enabling vertical take-off and landing.

The aircraft 10 can vertically take-off or land on land or water. Thismay be suitable for aircraft carriers to execute missions. FIG. 12A is aperspective view of an amphibious landing gear system 24, in accordancewith some embodiments. The amphibious landing gear system 24 is coupledto an underside of the fuselage 12 (shown as plurality of fuselagesegments 38 for clarity), such as to the underside of the front section32 of the fuselage 12 and the rear section 36 of the fuselage 12. Aplurality of hydraulic pistons 112 or other spring-like devices may beused to couple the amphibious landing gear system 24 to the fuselage 12to help absorb the impact when landing. The amphibious landing gearsystem 24 includes an aerodynamically-shaped flap 114, a bladder 116 anda wheel 118. Similar to the fuselage 12 design, and the first wing 14and the second wing 16 designs, the aerodynamically-shaped flap 114 iscomprised of a frame structure which includes a plurality of structuralsegments, such as a plurality of flap segments and a plurality of flaprods connected together (not shown). The plurality of flap segments andthe plurality of flap rods may be comprised of a metal such as aluminum,carbon-fiber, or steel, or a composite material or combination thereof.Additionally, there is a pivotable flap extension 120 positioned acrossthe rear of the flap 114 which may be pivoted about an axis D so thatthe angle of the plurality of pivotable flap extensions 120 along theflap 114 can adjust the lifting force. The cross-sectional shape of theflap 114 may be an airfoil. A flap cover 122, which may be similar to orthe same as the fuselage cover 42 and wing cover 54, covers the flap114.

FIG. 12B is a side view of an amphibious landing gear system 24 duringflight, in accordance with some embodiments, and FIG. 12C is a side viewof an amphibious landing gear system 24 during landing, in accordancewith some embodiments. The bladder 116 is located under the flap 114,and is configured to inflate and deflate. During flight, the bladder 116may be in a deflated mode and tucked away under the flap 114 or hiddenby the flap 114 to avoid drag, thus enabling an aerodynamic profile.During landing or take-off, the bladder 116 may be in an inflated mode.Hence, the bladder 116 is sized to provide buoyancy for the aircraft 10when inflated such as when landing or taking off from water. Thedeflation and inflation may be accomplished using a high-pressure airtank. The flap 114 with the pivotable flap extension 120 provideadditional lift power during take-off. When the bladder 116 is inflated,the aircraft 10 can land on water and stay afloat, such as park on thewater, as long as the bladder 116 is inflated. Because the aircraft canstay afloat on the water, this enables the aircraft 10 to verticallytake-off from this position on the water. The wheel 118 is provided fortake-off or landing on land.

In some embodiments, the aircraft 10 includes a second amphibiouslanding gear system 24 which is the same description as the amphibiouslanding gear system 24 described herein. As seen in FIGS. 1, 2A-2D, 3C,and 11A-11B, the amphibious landing gear system 24 is coupled to thefront section 32 of the fuselage 12 and the second amphibious landinggear system 24 is coupled to the rear section 36 of the fuselage 12.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2A, the aircraft 10 may include a parachutesystem 25 in the center section 34 of the fuselage 12. The parachutesystem 25 may be deployed in an emergency situation so that people onthe aircraft 10 may bailout and the aircraft 10 can be recovered. Theparachute system 25 may stored in the fuselage 12 and positioned todeploy through a door (not shown) on the topside of the center section34 of the fuselage 12. The parachute system 25 is sized to support aweight of the aircraft 10. In some embodiments, the parachute system 25may be deployed when landing to conserve fuel for cost benefits. Theability to have the parachute system 25 that can carry the weight of theentire aircraft 10 is possible due to the lightweight design of theaircraft 10.

FIG. 13A is a table of a sample calculation for wing area of theaircraft 10, in accordance with some embodiments. For example, in Table1, the wing area may be calculated in order to calculate the lift of theaircraft 10. The fixed wings, such as the first wing 14 and the secondwing 16 may have a length of 30 feet and a width of 9 feet. The flap ofthe landing gear may have a length of 10 feet and a width of 9 feet.Therefore the total wing area may be 900 ft². FIG. 13B is a table of asample calculation for the lift of the aircraft 10, in accordance withsome embodiments. For example, in Table 2, the lift is calculated fromthe given formula as about 11,000 kg.

FIG. 13C is a table of sample calculations for the configuration of theaircraft 10, in accordance with some embodiments. For example, in Table3, when the diameter of the first propeller 60 and the diameter of thesecond propeller 62 are 76 inches, the number of blades of the firstpropeller 60 and the second propeller 62 are four with the pitch of 12inches (e.g, the pitch is the distance the propeller would move in onerevolution if it were moving through a soft solid), the RPMs of thefirst propeller 60 and the second propeller 62 are 3000, the staticthrust can be calculated. In this example, for the aircraft 10, thisconfiguration generates a static thrust of 688.22 kg per propeller of1376.44 kg of thrust per power generator system 22 since each powergenerator system 22 has two propellers. Since there are sixteenpropellers, the maximum flying speed is 34 mph×16=544 mph. In oneconfiguration, the aircraft 10 has a wingspan of 65 feet, a length of 57feet and a height of 15 feet. The maximum takeoff is 11,000 kg, thepayload is 5,000 kg, the maximum speed is 544 mph, the range of flightis 1,000 km.

In some embodiments, there is an extended configuration for the aircraft10 thus increasing the payload space. FIG. 14 is a perspective view ofan extended aircraft 130, in accordance with some embodiments. Thisincreases the overall length of the aircraft such as by increasing thefuselage 12 or adding a center middle section 132 to the fuselage 12 sothat the overall length of the extended aircraft 130 is 60-70 feet or 64feet. The center middle section 132 of the fuselage 12 can be describedin the same manner as the fuselage 12 with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B.A pair of wings such as a third wing 134 and a fourth wing 136 arecoupled to the center middle section 132 of the fuselage 12. The thirdwing 134 and the fourth wing 136 can be described in the same manner asthe first wing 14 and the second wing 16 with reference to FIGS. 1,2B-2D and 4A-4B. For example, third wing 134 and the fourth wing 136extend outwardly from opposite sides of the center middle section 132 ofthe fuselage 12.

The extended aircraft 130 includes a third amphibious landing gearsystem 24 coupled to an underside of the fuselage 12, such as betweenthe underside of the center section 34 of the fuselage 12 and the centermiddle section 132 of the fuselage 12. The extended aircraft 130 mayinclude more power generator systems 22 than the aircraft 10, such assixteen (as shown) or twenty power generator systems 22. In oneconfiguration, the extended aircraft 130 has a wingspan of 65 feet, alength of 64 feet and a height of 16 feet. The maximum takeoff is 22,000kg, the payload is 13,500 kg, the maximum speed is 350 mph, the range offlight is 3,000 km.

While the specification has been described in detail with respect tospecific embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that thoseskilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing,may readily conceive of alterations to, variations of, and equivalentsto these embodiments. These and other modifications and variations tothe present invention may be practiced by those of ordinary skill in theart, without departing from the scope of the present invention, which ismore particularly set forth in the appended claims. Furthermore, thoseof ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoingdescription is by way of example only, and is not intended to limit theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. An aircraft comprising: a fuselage having a frontsection, a center section, and a rear section; a first mounting membercoupled to the front section of the fuselage and extending outwardlyfrom opposite sides of the front section of the fuselage; a secondmounting member coupled to the rear section of the fuselage andextending outwardly from opposite sides of the rear section of thefuselage; a first wing opposite a second wing, the first and secondwings coupled to the center section of the fuselage, the first andsecond wings extending outwardly from opposite sides of the centersection of the fuselage; a plurality of power generator systems, eachpower generator system coupled to the first mounting member or thesecond mounting member and wherein each power generator systemcomprises: a power source, a first propeller and a second propeller, thepower source configured to drive the first propeller and the secondpropeller, wherein the first propeller and the second propeller (i) havean axis of rotation, and (ii) are pivotable between a first position anda second position, the second position perpendicular to the firstposition; a shroud having a shroud first end opposite a shroud secondend, and enclosing the power generator system; and an amphibious landinggear system coupled to an underside of the fuselage and having a liftwing and a bladder, wherein the bladder is a) located under the liftwing, b) configured to inflate and deflate, and c) sized to providebuoyancy for the aircraft when inflated.
 2. The aircraft of claim 1,further comprising: a gearbox coupled to the power source; a first shaftopposite a second shaft, the first propeller opposite the secondpropeller, the first shaft and the first propeller extending outwardlyfrom a first side of the gearbox, and the second shaft and the secondpropeller extending outwardly from a second side of the gearbox oppositethe first side of the gearbox; wherein the first shaft is longitudinallyspaced apart from the second shaft, and the first shaft is not incontact with the second shaft; wherein the first propeller is coupled tothe first shaft, the first shaft configured to transfer torque androtation from the power source to the first propeller in a firstdirection; and wherein the second propeller is coupled to the secondshaft, the second shaft configured to transfer torque and rotation fromthe power source to the second propeller in a second direction, thefirst direction and the second direction are different from one another.3. The aircraft of claim 2, wherein the power source is on a third sideof the gearbox, the third side of the gearbox perpendicular to the axisof rotation of the first propeller and the second propeller.
 4. Theaircraft of claim 2, wherein the power source is positioned between thefirst side of the gearbox and the first shaft, and on the same axis ofrotation as the first propeller and the second propeller.
 5. Theaircraft of claim 2, wherein the gearbox comprises: a bevel gearattached to the third side of the gearbox and coupled to the powersource; a first idler gear on the first side of the gearbox that engageswith the bevel gear and the first shaft to enable the rotation of thefirst propeller in the first direction; and a second idler gear on thesecond side of the gearbox that is spaced apart from the first idlergear, and engages with the bevel gear and the second shaft to enable therotation of the second propeller in the second direction.
 6. Theaircraft of claim 2, wherein the gearbox comprises: a bevel gearattached to the third side of the gearbox; a first idler gear on thefirst side of the gearbox engages with the bevel gear and the powersource, the power source engages with the first shaft to enable therotation of the first propeller in the first direction; and a secondidler gear on the second side of the gearbox is spaced apart from thefirst idler gear, and engages with the bevel gear and the second shaftto enable the rotation of the second propeller in the second direction.7. The aircraft of claim 2, further comprising: a first rudder coupledto the first shaft, the first shaft configured to transfer torque androtation from the power source to the first rudder in the firstdirection, the first rudder positioned between the first propeller andthe second propeller; and a second rudder coupled to the second shaft,the second shaft configured to transfer torque and rotation from thepower source to the second rudder in the second direction, and thesecond rudder positioned between the second propeller and the shroudsecond end; wherein the first rudder and the second rudder have the axisof rotation of the first propeller and the second propeller; and whereinthe first direction and the second direction are different from oneanother.
 8. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the lift wing forms anairfoil.
 9. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the amphibious landing gearsystem comprises a first amphibious landing gear coupled to theunderside of the fuselage of the front section, and a second amphibiouslanding gear coupled to the underside of the fuselage of the rearsection.
 10. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the fuselage comprises aframe structure of a plurality of structural elements forming ahexagonally-shaped cross-section, and a material covering the framestructure.
 11. The aircraft of claim 1, further comprising: a door on atopside of the fuselage; and a parachute positioned to deploy throughthe door, wherein the parachute is sized to support a weight of theaircraft.
 12. An aircraft comprising: a plurality of power generatorsystems, each power generator system coupled the aircraft, and whereinthe each power generator system comprises: a power source, a gearboxcoupled to the power source, a first shaft opposite a second shaft, thefirst shaft and the second shaft extending outwardly from opposite sidesof the gearbox, wherein the first shaft is longitudinally spaced apartfrom the second shaft, and the first shaft is not in contact with thesecond shaft; a first propeller coupled to the first shaft, the firstshaft configured to transfer torque and rotation from the power sourceto the first propeller in a first direction; a second propeller coupledto the second shaft, the second shaft configured to transfer torque androtation from the power source to the second propeller in a seconddirection, the first direction and the second direction are differentfrom one another; wherein the first propeller and the second propeller(i) have an axis of rotation, and (ii) are pivotable between a firstposition and a second position, the first position having the axis ofrotation approximately horizontal and the second position having theaxis of rotation approximately vertical; an amphibious landing gearsystem coupled to an underside of the aircraft and having a lift wingand a bladder, wherein the bladder is a) located under the lift wing, b)configured to inflate and deflate, and c) sized to provide buoyancy forthe aircraft when inflated.
 13. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein thepower source is on a third side of the gearbox, the third side of thegearbox perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the first propeller andthe second propeller.
 14. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the powersource is positioned between the first side of the gearbox and the firstshaft, and on the same axis of rotation as the first propeller and thesecond propeller.
 15. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the gearboxcomprises: a bevel gear attached to the third side of the gearbox andcoupled to the power source; a first idler gear on the first side of thegearbox that engages with the bevel gear and the first shaft to enablethe rotation of the first propeller in the first direction; and a secondidler gear on the second side of the gearbox is spaced apart from thefirst idler gear, and engages with the bevel gear and the second shaftto enable the rotation of the second propeller in the second direction.16. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the gearbox comprises: a bevelgear attached to the third side of the gearbox; a first idler gear onthe first side of the gearbox engages with the bevel gear and the powersource, the power source engages with the first shaft to enable therotation of the first propeller in the first direction; and a secondidler gear on the second side of the gearbox is spaced apart from thefirst idler gear, and engages with the bevel gear and the second shaftto enable the rotation of the second propeller in the second direction.17. The aircraft of claim 12, further comprising: a first rudder coupledto the first shaft, the first shaft configured to transfer torque androtation from the power source to the first rudder in the firstdirection, the first rudder positioned between the first propeller andthe second propeller; and a second rudder coupled to the second shaft,the second shaft configured to transfer torque and rotation from thepower source to the second rudder in the second direction, and thesecond rudder positioned between the second propeller and a shroud end;wherein the first rudder and the second rudder have the axis of rotationof the first propeller and the second propeller; and wherein the firstdirection and the second direction are different from one another. 18.The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the lift wing forms an airfoil. 19.The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the amphibious landing gear systemcomprises a first amphibious landing gear coupled to the underside of afront section of the aircraft, and a second amphibious landing gearcoupled to the underside of a rear section of the aircraft.
 20. Theaircraft of claim 12, wherein a fuselage of the aircraft comprises aframe structure of a plurality of structural elements forming ahexagonally-shaped cross-section, and a material covering the framestructure.